Occasional training partners Chael Sonnen and Dan Henderson probably aren’t as close as they used to be.

During Tuesday’s MetroPCS online chat, Sonnen said he hasn’t spoken to the fellow Team Quest fighter ever since Henderson posted some critical tweets.

Sonnen, of course, recently leapfrogged Henderson in the pecking order of the light-heavyweight division and got a coaching spot on “The Ultimate Fighter 17″ and a promised title shot with champion Jon Jones.

Henderson (29-8 MMA, 6-2 UFC), of course, was on deck to fight Jones (17-1 MMA, 11-1 UFC) this past month at UFC 151. However, the event was canceled when UFC officials couldn’t find a suitable replacement for Henderson, who wasn’t cleared due to a knee injury. Jones went on to fight and defeat late replacement Vitor Belfort at UFC 152.

After that, though, the UFC went with Sonnen (who also volunteered for UFC 151 before Jones turned it down) over Henderson. In addition to “TUF 17,” Sonnen (28-12-1 MMA, 6-5 UFC) – a recent middleweight title challenger who hasn’t won as a light heavyweight in the UFC – will fight Jones on April 27 after the reality show’s March or April conclusion.

Henderson went to Twitter soon after the coaching appointments to express his displeasure.

“I guess I should just quit training to win fights and to be exciting for the fans and just go to s— talking school,” he tweeted, in obvious reference to the outspoken Sonnen.

“I will always [have] love for Chael and don’t blame him for saying yes to a big opportunity (but) … giving him that fight [right] now degrades the sport of MMA,” he wrote.

Like UFC President Dana White, though, Sonnen has taken the approach that he stepped up when others wouldn’t or couldn’t, and that’s why he was rewarded. While it’s not known if Henderson would have been healed enough to coach “TUF 17″ and fight Jones at the show’s conclusion, he wasn’t given the option. Instead, White said Henderson likely will fight Lyoto Machida in a title eliminator in early 2013.

“I keep hearing that I talked my way into a fight, and guys, it’s true,” Sonnen said. “But the word that I used was ‘yes.’ When the chance came, they said, ‘Do you want to fight?’ I said, ‘Yes.’ Contrary to what it may look like on TV, this guy (Jones) is pretty darn good, and there’s not a lot of guys that want to fight him. And contrary to what the oddsmakers may say, this guy (Sonnen) is pretty good too.

“There’s not a lot of guys that want to fight me, and a lot of guys complained that I got the fight with Jon, but not one of those guys said, ‘I want to fight Jon.’ Not one of them.”

As the UFC 189 tour made its last stop in Dublin, featherweight champ Jose Aldo was met with a torrent of abuse from the Irish fans. It might have been unpleasant, but it might also have been just what he needed.